Manama: As part of the Kingdom of Bahrain's presidency of the 46th session of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Committee of Heads of Capital Market Authorities (or their equivalents) in the GCC held its 32nd meeting via videoconference. The meeting aimed to enhance collaboration and address pivotal issues among GCC member states.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the meeting was chaired by Noora Hasan Abdulghani, Executive Director of Supervision at the Central Bank of Bahrain. She represented Bahrain in its capacity as the presiding state. The meeting was attended by Khalid bin Ali Al Sunaidi, Assistant Secretary General for Economic and Development Affairs at the General Secretariat of the GCC, along with representatives from member states.
The committee focused on several key topics, including tracking the progress of initiatives referred to the GCC Capital Markets Committee. Updates were provided on member states completing internal procedures to commence the Cross-Border Registration Regulation for Investment Funds.
Additionally, the meeting discussed a proposal from the GCC Capital Markets Integration Strategy Working Group concerning the "Exchange of Expertise and Experiences among GCC Authorities" initiative. The committee considered the expected outcomes of this initiative and reviewed a study on implementing mandatory Investment Account Opening Requirements and Know Your Customer forms.
The committee also examined two studies from the Working Group of Officials Responsible for Training and Studies. These studies covered the state of human capital in the capital markets sector and the application of artificial intelligence in securities markets, along with their recommendations.
Furthermore, the Saudi Capital Market Authority provided a brief presentation on the achievements of the fourth season of the GCC Smart Investor Award, alongside updates on the upcoming fifth season of the award for 2026. The committee also reviewed reports on the results of the "Mulim" programme awareness campaigns and other initiatives aimed at enhancing coordination among GCC capital market regulatory authorities.